Storage and dispensing system



y 3 c. SPAETH STORAGE AND DISPENSING SYSTEM Filed April 23, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR M AALMT MPM ATTORNEYS STORAGE'AND DISPENSING SYSTEM Filed April 25, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORN EY May 30, 1939. c; SPAETH 2,160,683

STORAGE AND DISE ENSI NG SYSTEM Filed April 23, 1937 I 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 O O O i Z 5 INVENTOR 74 M W I ATTORN EY Patented May 30, 1939 UNITED STATE-Si STORAGE AND DISPENSING SYSTEM- charlesspaeth,

Cleveland, Ohioa Application April 23; 1937;Se'rial No. 138,635?

11 Claims.

This invention relates-to'a system --for the storing and handling of volatile or vaporizable liquids, such as gasoline and to apparatus designed for. use in such system and has particular refer- 5 ence to loading racks for filling tank wagons at bulk plants.

It has been the custom of refineries and other places where these liquids are stored and handied in large quantities to employ a plurality of tanks. These tanks generally communicate with eachother, and with the atmosphere so that the pressure, may beequalized throughout the system.

When a quantity of gasoline or similar volatile 1;, liquid is placed in a container, .it'is well known that owing to changes in temperature and other conditions such as exist during thefilling and refilling of the tanks, the vapor pressure .CQH': tinually varies and undergoes a so calledbreath- 20 ing action, during which the vapor from theliquid escapes to the atmosphere and. air isdrawn into the container... As previously stated herein, it has been the practice to connectup a series of such, containers or tanks together,.so thatthe vapor from one tank may pass toanother, thus distributing and equalizing the pressure throughoutthe system. This has resulted in considerable saving of vapor which would otherwise have been passed to the atmosphere. A systemv such as described is disclosed in Patents. Nos- ,816

and 2,038,767 issued to P. M. Elliott and Charles Spaeth respectively. However, ,no provisionis made in these prior patentedsystems for preventing the loss of valuable vapors incidentto. the transfer of gasoline from. the storage tanks to the conventional tank wagon.

The general object of the presentinvention is to provide a loading rack or apparatus for load.- ing tank wagons from the storage. tanks of the 40 prior patented equalizing systems, herein mentioned, wherein provision is made for returning to the supply or storage system all. or substantially all vapors generated in the tank wagons or cars during filling operations which heretofore have been permitted to escape to the atmosphere.

Another object of. my inventioncisto provide a system-of this character with means .forso supporting the filling device or. nozzle thatitican bereadily adjusted directly over the tank. filling opening or. hatch and lowered therein and tightly clamped to the tank vforsealing the opening or hatch to preventthe escape of .vaporfrom the tank duringthe filling-operation through '"said' nozzle'andto allow the vapor to pass into. the nozzle'and be conveyed back to the storage tank.

A further. object of my invention isto provide a system of this character in which the filling device or nozzle can be, readily clamped in operative position or released and in which means is provided for determining, when the tank is filled.

A still further object of my invention is .to provide", a loading apparatuswhich can be readily installed injsystems of, the type shownin the two heretofore mentioned patents. or can be installed on yanysystem in which one or more storage, tanks are used and whichwill under all conditions eiTectively. convey thevapor from the dispensing tank to the storagetank 'withoutefiectingthe filling operation.

A stillfurthBr. object. of my invention is to provide. a system ,of this character which is simple in construction and. operation and having certain advantages .and details of structure hereinafter more. fully set forth.

In. the. accompanying, drawings;

Figure 1 is a side view of a plant embodying my invention,..showing the storage tanks in top perspectivey Figurev 2 is a top plan. view of one end of the storage tanks. showing the two. manifolds for conveying theyaporfrom one tank. to the other for equalizing thevapor pressure;

Figure. 3 isianv enlarged side view of. the filling device or. nozzle. clamped inthefilling-opening or hatch. of, the dispensing tank;

Figure .4 is a .vertical sectional-view taken on the line..44 .of Figure 3 and looking. in the direction. of the. arrow Figure. 5 is a bottom. plan view of Figure 3 Figure6 is .a vertical sectional. view of thereliei valve, forrallowin'g. the vaporto, pass from. the dispensin lank td the storage tank but preventing the .vapor frompassing from the .storage tank to the dispensing ,tank

Figure 7 is;a side elevationpartlyin section of the filling. device or, nozzle supporting carriage and adjustingmeans; v

Figure -8 is. a sectional view showing the'winding drum, around which the filling device or nozzlesupporting .cable passes;

Figure 9 is an enlarged top plan view of the means for locking the filling device or nozzle to thefilling opening or hatch of. the dispensing tank: j

Figure 10isia top plan view of the filling opening orghatch of.the dispensing tank;

Figure-l1" is a side elevation partly broken away showing the hatch'cover in position;

Figure 12 is a vertical sectional View taken on the line I2I2 of Figure 10;

Figure 13 is an enlarged vertical sectional view showing the filling device or nozzle locking device in position; and

Figure 14 is a plan diagrammatic view illustrating the pipe and hose connections for filling the tank wagon from the Various storage tanks.

Referring now to the drawings the numeral I 00 represents a structural building or frame known in the trade as a loading rack and in which are shown three storage tanks I, 2 and 3 arranged horizontally in an elevated position so that the liquid can flow by gravity to a dispensing tank 4, which as shown is in the form of a tank wagon better known as a tank truck. The storage tanks I, 2 and 3 are provided with the usual filling'openings 5 arranged in the upper ends thereof and tightly closed in the usual manner. The upper ends of the tanks are connected to and in communication with a primary manifold 6 which is normally closed to the atmosphere. These tanks also communicate through manifold 6 with a secondary manifold I arranged parallel with the primary manifold 6 and having its downturned ends 'i" screened and open to the atmosphere. The manifolds 5 and 'l are arranged to allow the vapor pressure in the tanks to flow from one tank to the other to equalize the pressure in the tanks and to open to the atmosphere to relieve excessive pressure in the event all of the tanks are filled to their capacity and thus relieving the tanks of any unnecessary pressure and also permitting the more ready filling of one tank without materially afiecting the vapor pressure intheothertanks. in a manner later described.

The primary manifold 6 extends downwardly at 6 and has its end connected to a manifold pipe connection 8 which is rigidly supported by the building or frame I99 and has connected thereto a plurality of flexible hose lengths 9, preferably three in number leading to the filling de-' vices or nozzles which will be hereinafter more fully described.

The structural building or frame I 00 has an outwardly extending frame In properly supported by braces II and I2 all of which could be of any desired structural steel. The frame In supports two spaced tracks I3 and I4 which as shown in Figure '7 are of tubular form and suported on the upper face of the frame. Mounted upon said tracks are the carriages I5 which may be of any desired number according to the capacity of the system, it being understood that there is one carriage for each filling device or nozzle. The carriages I5 are each provided with two grooved wheels I6 and I7 adapted to roll upon the tracks I3 and I4, and due to their configuration can not readily jump the tracks. The body of the carriage between the rollers is provided with a rigid downwardly extending arm I 8 in the lower end of which is arranged a pulley I9 over which passes a cable 20. The arm I8 has a looped portion 2I to which is connected the end 22 of the cable 28 and the cable passes downwardly at 23 around a pulley 24 carried by the filling device or nozzle 25 and thence upwardly at 25 over the pulley I9. The cable passes horizontally inwardly as indicated at 21 as shown in Figures 1 and 7 and passes over a swiveled pulley 28 and is weighted as at 28 whereby the filling device or nozzle will be automatically held in elevated position and can be conveniently lowered as desired. The pulleys 28, one for each nozzle 25 are secured to the frame I5 by means of brackets I0.

The filling devices or nozzles 25 are of an elongated cylindrical form and of a diameter to readily enter the filling openings or hatches 30 for the respective compartments A, B, C, D, E and F of the dispensing tank 4. Each opening or hatch is formed. by an upwardly extending flange or collar 3I provided at its upper end with a laterally turned horizontal flange 32 provided with an annular recess 33 in its upper face and in which is secured an annular packing ring or gasket 34 which is for the purpose of forming a tight joint with the filling device or nozzle, as will be later described. The upper end of the nozzle is provided with upwardly extending lugs 35 and 36 between which is pivoted by means of pins 3! the bifurcated member 38. Rotatably mounted in the member 38, by means of the shaft or pin 39, is the pulley 24, whereby the same is free to rotate to allow the cable 20 to readily raise and lower the filling device or nozzle 25.

The filling device or nozzle, which as before stated is of a cylindrical form, is provided intermediate its ends with an annular flange 40 which is adapted to rest upon the gasket 34 and form an air tight joint with the hatch of the dispensing tank. The vertical flange or collar 3I of the hatch at one side is provided with spaced ears 4I between which is pivoted, by pin 43 the hatch cover 44 which may be locked closed when the nozzle is removed in any desired manner, one form of locking member 45 being shown in Figure 4. This member 45 cooperates with slots or notches 46 shown in Figure 10 of the drawings. The outer face of the vertical flange 3I of the hatch is provided with oppositely arranged outwardly extending lugs 41 and 48 which have cam under faces adapted to cooperate with similar faces on a locking ring 49, as will be presently described.

The locking ring 49 is carried by the nozzle above the flange 4|] thereof and is thus held against downward movement thereon. This ring at one side is provided with a handle 49 by means of which it is turned. The ring is preferably made in two sections 50 and 5I, held together by bolts 52 and 53 as shown in Figure 9 and whereby it is readily assembled on the nozzle. The inner face of the locking ring 49 is provided with oppositely arranged cam portions 55 and 55' the top faces of which are engaged by the lower faces of the lugs 41 and 48 carried by the flange of the hatch 30 and whereby, due to cam upper faces of the lugs, the flange 49 of the nozzle is tightly clamped upon the gasket 34 and the hatch absolutely sealed to prevent the escape of the vapor from the dispensing tank, as shown in Figure 13.

The nozzle 25 has a passage 85 extending from its lower end and communicating with the two discharge connections 56 and 51 to which are attached the hose lines 58, 58 and. 58" leading to pipes 53, 59 and 59" which are in turn connected through pipes 60, 60 and 5D to the tanks I, 2 and 3 respectively. A double pipe coupling 82 is provided for connecting the lines 58 and 58' to discharge 56 while a single pipe coupling 83 serves to connect hose 58" with discharge 51. The two connections 55 and 51 on each nozzle and the hose lines just described allow for dispensing of several different grades of fuel from the supply tanks to the tank wagon without moving the tank wagon, as will be later described. Manifold pipes 59, 59 and 59" are provided with valves SI, SI and GI" whereby the flow of fuel from the tank is controlled. Three manifold pipes 86, B1 and 88 are employed to make the connections just described. Thus manifold pipe 86 operatively connectseachof pipes 59 withthe pipe 60" leading to storage tank 3; manifold pipe 81 operatively connects 59 with pipe 69' leadingto storage tank 2 and,v manifold pipe 88 operatively connects pipes 59 with pipe till leadingto storagetank I. As previously explained the vapor escape hose connections 9 connect with primary manifold 6 through manifold pipe 8v and pipe extension 6'.

The nozzle 25 has a second or vapor passage 62 therethrough which has two openings 63 and 64 in its side walls to allow the liquid to pass therein. Connected to the upper end of said passage E2 is a glass sight tube 65 which has its upper-end connected to a coupling 66 to which is connected the hose 9 leadingto and connected to the manifold pipe extension 8 of the manifold 6. Within the passage 62 is a float 61 which carries a rod 58 which extends upwardly into the sight tube and whereby it can be determined when the dispensing tank is filled or nearly filled with fluid.

In operation as will be understood by reference to Patent No. 2,053,816 the storage tanks are filled in the usual manner and by virtue of the manifolds 6 and 1 and arrangement of valves 69 therein the vapor in the tanks is equalized so that when an empty tank is being filled the vapor therein would pass to either or both of the other tanks, until the pressure in all reaches a uniform predetermined point, whereupon the vapor would pass tothe atmosphere through the downturned screened ends 1" of the secondary manifold 1.

The tank truck or dispensing tank 4 heretofore designated as such is moved under the frame H1 in approximately the proper position. The carriage i8 is then rolled upon the tracks to a position as near as possible directly over the hatch 30 of the dispensing tank. It is understood that the filling device or nozzles are at all times when not in use maintained in an elevated position by the cable close to the frame In. An attendant slowly lowers the nozzle and due to the pivot 31 of the bifurcated pulley frame or member 33, the nozzle can be tiled in any direction so that it is guided into the hatch of the compartment or tank. The clamping ring is then turned on the nozzle to bring thecam portions 55 and 55 directly over the lugs 41 and 48 and the nozzle is then lowered until the flange 40 rests upon the gasket 34. The handle is then turned and due to the cammed lugs the nozzle is tightly clamped in the hatch forming an air tight joint. The appropriate valve 6!, 6i and 6! of the liquid supply pipes is opened and the fluid flows through the hose connection to the nozzle and through the passage 85 to the tank wagon. As the compartments in the tank wagon fill with fluid the vapor pressure therein increases and the vapor is caused to travel through the vapor line or passage 62 and hose 9 and thence through the primary manifold 6 to the vapor stage of the tanks and through the valves 69 and secondary manifold 1 and is thus evenly distributed and trapped in the several storage tanks, instead of being permitted to escape from the tank wagon hatch. Should the vapor pressure in the tanks I, 2 and 3 build up to a dangerous extent the secondary manifold allows it to pass to the atmosphere.

It will be noted that the operator can conveniently fill all or any number of the six compartments A, B, C, D, E and F of the tank wagon with any desired grade of gas from storage tanks l, -2 and 3, dueto:thegfactthat.eachofrthethree spouts or filling devices. 25.; can be. swung with? in. the 1 range of two tank. wagon compartments, and because of the double discharge-connections 55:01 51:, Thus thespoutsZfi-now shown in .the filling. openings 30. of tanks or.- compartments A, C an-dE canbe swung to .theleft (Figure. 14) for insertion inthe fillingwopenings or hatches of compartments B, D and. F. In either of these two positions, with .valve 6|". for. hose 58 open, regular gas will flow from regular gas storage tank. 3, through pipe 601 and manifoldpipe 86, pipes 59" andhose connections 58'." tothetank wagon. Byclosing-valve 6| and opening either of the valves St or 6|." the liquid will flow from tanks! or 2 through the respective manifolds 81 or 88 .to the appropriate. hose lengths 58 or 58' according to. which valvev is opened.

The operator can quickly fill .the tank wagon bymoving from one nozzlezto the other for the purpose of inserting the'nozzles in the hatches and turning on the appropriate valve and then closing the valvesatintervals in'pro-per order as the various compartments become filled.

Whileit-isthought that the functioning of valves 691which place the primary and secondary manifolds 6 and 1 in communication with storage tanks l, 2 and 3, will be understood'from a rief consideration of Patent No. 2,053,816, the following description is given. The connecting pipe or manifold 6 places each one of the-vapor openings 29 in communication with the remainder of such openings in the respective series of tanks. The other conduit pipe or manifold 1 connects the intake or exhaust side of the vapor control valves with each and every other valve of the series. Air intake or outlet ports 1" are provided at suitable positions upon each end of the secondary manifold 1. The ports 1" are merely screened openings and hence have not been illustrated in greater detail.

These valves 69 consist of a main casing or housing upon the top of which is attached a yoke 10hinged at the point 1| and locked in position by means of a cotter pin or padlock at the point 12. A valve housing cover 13 is held in position by means of a threaded T-bolt 14. A spherical ball 15 is seated upon a removable gasket 16, which is in turn held in position by suitable fastening screws. A passage 11 places the above described ball valve in communication with the conduits 29 and, 6.- A second valve 18 of the poppet or disc type is positioned upon a seat 19 and in turn communicates with the passage 86- leading to the conduit or manifold 1. The valve 18' is preferably constructed of a light metal such as aluminum in order that its actuating pressure maybe relatively low, which in the instantly contemplated embodiment isl ounce per square inch.

The lower portion of the valve housing, it will be noted from Figure 6 flares out in order to accommodate the manifold passages 6 and 1. These manifold passages, as incorporated in the valve housing 69 are placed in parallelrelationship in order to facilitate the installation of the vapor conservationsystem'upona series of tanks. In installing the vapor control system,it is merely necessary to connect the valve housing 59- to the pipe-29 and then the manifold openings in the valve housing may be turned into position in order to be in alignment with the manifold conduits 6' and 1.

The modeof operation-of the-above described system is asfollows: The-initialvapor pressure generated by each of the tanks is conducted through the individual connections 29 and distributed throughout the remainder of the tanks of the respective series through the manifold 6. This distribution will continue until the vapor pressure limit at which the ball valves have been predeterminately set is reached. When such limit is exceeded, the ball valve 15 will be opened and the excess pressure permitted to flow into the manifold I where it will discharge to the atmosphere.

The air intake port 1" on each end of the pressure manifold 1 permits air to be inhaled into the system in the event that the pressure within any one of the tanks or the resultant pressure in the series of tanks should drop below atmospheric and a consequent replacement of such a gaseous volume becomes necessary. The ports 'I" further serve the purpose, that if necessity demands, when the pressure in all of the tanks becomes greater than that at which the vapor control valves are set, then such excess vapor pressure will be passed to the atmosphere through these ports. However, such a contingency is relatively exceptional due to the fact that in a series of tanks there will always be one or more individual tanks which are being emptied or subjected to a relatively lower temperature and hence are below the predetermined pressure and consequently inhaling a volume of air or vapor or both.

What I claim is:

1. In a volatile liquid storage and dispensing system, the combination with a series of atmospherically sealed tanks, a primary manifold normally closed to the atmosphere and connecting the vapor side of each of said tanks, a secondary manifold connected in parallel with said primary manifold, means for venting the secondary manifold, a tube connected to the primary manifold, a nozzle connected to said tube, a hose connection between the nozzle and the tanks, and means for tightly sealing said nozzle in the hatch of a dispensing tank whereby the vapor may pass from the dispensing tank as it is filled with fluid from the storage tanks.

2. In a liquid storage and dispensing system, the combination with a series of atmospherically sealed tanks, automatic means for distributing the vapor in said tanks until a predetermined pressure has been reached, a hose connected to said automatic vapor distributing means, a nozzle connected to said hose, a pipe connecting said nozzle to a liquid supply from said tanks, cam means for connecting said nozzle in the hatch of a dispensing tank whereby the vapor from the dispensing tank is conveyed to and equalized in the storage tanks as the dispensing tank is filled with fluid.

3. In a liquid dispensing system, comprising a storage tank, a horizontally movable carriage, a nozzle vertically adjustably carried by said carriage and adapted to be lowered into the hatch of a dispensing tank and fastened therein, means for supplying fluid from the storage tank to the dispensing tank and means for conveying the vapor from the dispensing tank through the nozzle to the upper end of the storage tank.

4. A liquid dispensing and storage system, comprising a storage tank, a horizontally movable carriage supported above the dispensing tank, a cable carried by the carriage and supporting a nozzle for vertically moving the same, said nozzle adapted to be lowered into the hatch of the dispensing tank and secured therein, means by each cable and adapted to be lowered in the hatch of any one of a number of dispensing tanks, means for sealing said nozzle in said hatch, a fluid supply from the tanks to each nozzle for filling the tank with fluid, and a vapor discharge pipe connected to the nozzle and connected to the upper end of the storage tanks.

. 6. In a liquid storage and dispensing system, the combination with a series of storage tanks, a dispensing tank, a track arranged above the dispensing tank, a carriage traveling on said tracks, a pulley carried by said carriage, a nozzle below the carriage, a pulley carried by the nozzle, a cable attached to the carriage and passing under the pulley carried by the nozzle and over the pulley carried by the carriage, means for raising and lowering the cable, and flexible hose connections between the nozzle and the storage tanks for supplying fluid to a dispensing tank and conveying the vapors from the dispensing tank to the storage tanks.

7. In a liquid dispensing and storage system, comprising a loading rack having a number of storage tanks, a series of horizontally movable carriages carried by the rack, a cable supported by each carriage, a nozzle supported by each cable and adapted to be lowered into the hatch of any one of a series of dispensing tanks, a flexible hose connection for each nozzle for connecting the same to the lower end of each and all of the storage tanks, valves for controlling the connection of each tank, a hose connected to each nozzle and connected to the upper ends of the storage tanks, and valves controlling said hose connection whereby liquid can be drawn from any one of the tanks through any nozzle and vapor conveyed from any nozzle to any one of the storage tanks.

8. In a liquid dispensing and storage system, comprising a loading rack having a number of storage tanks, at supporting track carried by the rack, a series of movable nozzles supported by the track, a pressure manifold connecting the storage tanks for equalizing the pressure therein, a separate pipe connecting the manifold with each of said nozzles, and a separate pipe connecting each of said nozzles with the separate tanks whereby the liquid from any one of the storage tanks may be drawn through the nozzle to any one of a series of dispensing tanks and the vapor therefrom returned to and equalized in the storage tanks, 7

9. In a liquid dispensing and storage system, comprising a loading rack having a number of storage tanks, a supporting track supported by the rack, a series of movable nozzles supported by the track, a manifold connecting the upper ends of the storage tank and adapted to be placed in communication with any one of the nozzles, a separate passage between each tank and each nozzle for supplying liquid thereto whereby the liquid from any one of the storage tanks may be drawn through any one of the nozzles to any one of a series dispensing tanks and the vapor therethe manifold.

10. In a liquid dispensing system, comprising a storage tank, a supporting track, a carriage on said track, a nozzle having a pulley mounted on its upper end, a cable secured to the carriage and passing downwardly around the pulley carried by the nozzle and over a pulley carried by said carriage and means for winding and unwinding the cable for lowering the nozzle in the hatch of any one of a series of dispensing tanks.

11. In a liquid dispensing system comprising a storage tank, an elevated track under which dispensing tanks may be driven, a carriage traveling dispensing tanks.

on said track, a pulley carried by the carriage, a nozzle having a. hose connection with the storage tank, a pulley carried by the upper end of the nozzle, a cable connected to the carriage and extending down around the pulley carried by the nozzle and upwardly around the pulley carried by the carriage and means winding or unwinding said cable whereby the nozzle may be raised or lowered into the hatch of any one of a series of CHARLES SPAETH. 

